


break with tradition

by cosmonautically



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: M/M, More Hugs, more kisses
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-18
Updated: 2017-03-18
Packaged: 2018-10-07 10:20:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,160
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10358169
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cosmonautically/pseuds/cosmonautically
Summary: Hugs just aren't enough when you've had the worst start in the NHL.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Tdtori](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tdtori/gifts).



> I actually wrote this two years ago...and apparently deleted it from here. Here it is again in all it's glory. 
> 
> I wrote this for tdtori originally, so we could have some happiness after an 0-8 start.

Losing eight games in a row was tough. With it being his first season as captain, Nick took most of the blame. Repeating the same sentences after every loss left him numb, and by the seventh loss, it was routine. He knew fans were upset, that people who didn’t even follow them were being needlessly obvious about their record, and it was his job to lift the morale of the team.

But he didn’t have any positive energy left. And if he didn’t...well, he knew the team was struggling too. 

They weren’t even playing Bob, and Nick hated that the most. He knew he wasn’t feeling his best right now. Nick also knew that Sergei tended to take on most of the blame when the team didn’t win. Even though the team reassured him time and again that it wasn’t his fault. They loved Bob, and appreciated him being in goal. 

When Richards was fired, the team didn’t even feel surprised. It was inevitable, and they all knew it. But Nick had to admit, he /was/ surprised when the club brought on John Tortorella as the new head coach. He kept telling himself that it was what they needed. And that eighth loss...it wasn’t as bad as before. They already felt a bit better on the ice, morale was gaining a bit of momentum, and Nick had hope again. 

By their ninth game, they were all feeling so much better. Bob had been put back in goal for the game against the Wild, and still, he blamed himself for their loss, even though Nick had done the math and Bob had played better than he had in the two games he’d played at the beginning of the season. The Avalanche was playing a good game, but it was evident that the Blue Jackets were playing just slightly better and when the timer ran out, Nick’s grin spread across his face quickly. 

“I’ve got two words for you: CBJ win!” the announcer shouted and the team rushed the ice. 

Nick couldn’t stop smiling. He was sure someone would see the tears in his eyes, but honestly, he didn’t care. The crowd was screaming as one by one, the team showed Bob the love and gratitude he deserved. He felt the adrenaline thrumming through him, even though it wasn’t a home-ice win, and fed off the energy of the crowd as he waited for his turn to show the goalie some love. 

And if Nick cried a little when he finally got to give Bob a winning hug, then what of it? He held him tightly, not wanting to let go, because if he let go, he might wake up. And he did /not/ want to wake up, not from this. It felt too good. Too real. 

When he pulled away, he didn’t say a word about the tears he saw in Bob’s eyes.

\-----------

Flying home felt like it went by quicker than usual. After a loss, the time seemed to slow, but since they won, it passed quickly. The team could not stop celebrating. They were drunk, Nick was buzzed, and they were just /so/ happy. The tension from before had completely dissipated. Things had felt so much better on the ice than they had in the first eight games, and they finally felt like a team. Obviously they knew it was only one win, and they still had an entire season to go, but no one would hold it against them for celebrating tonight. And if they did...well, so what? 

“Nick, play good game,” Bob said with a slight drunken smile. Bob was never one to drink as much as the rest of them, and truthfully, neither was Nick. But he wanted to join in tonight. A hard-fought win for the team, and he was going to sit out? Not a chance. 

“Bob, you played a /helluva/ game,” Nick said, grinning. “You always do.”

“Not always play good,” Bob said, his smile turning into an adorable frown. “Let team down.”

Nick leaned forward, his hand resting on the back of Bob’s neck, and pressed their foreheads together. “You did /not/ let us down, Bob,” he said as firmly as he could. “We let you down.”

“No. Team play good,” Bob said, shaking his head. He didn’t move away. “Team play best.”

That made Nick chuckle a little. “No, Bob, we played like shit, and that’s okay. We know we didn’t play our best,” he said. Bob still looked sad and Nick wondered what he could do to make him smile. He was struggling to figure out what could be done to make Bob break out that winning smile of his when he heard Cam speak behind him. 

“Cheer up, Bob!” Cam said from across the aisle of the plane. “We won and it was all thanks to you! Three cheers for Bob!” The team gave three loud, raucous cheers for him and that made him laugh. 

“You guys great family,” he said. He was smiling again and Nick was grateful for it. With the season going so rough for them all, he hadn’t seen Bob’s smile in a long time, and he had to admit that Bob’s smile was one of his favorite things in life. He couldn’t help but stare at the little crinkles at the corners of Bob’s eyes and when he caught the Russian’s gaze, the corner of his lips curled up. 

“See,” he said as he scooted closer. “You matter to us, Bob. You matter to me.” 

“Thank you, Captain,” Bob said with a small, private smile. “Matter to me too.”

“Thinking we oughta change up the game a little,” Nick said, as he leaned in. “No more hugs.” And god, that was the cutest frown Nick had never seen in his life. 

“But like hugs,” Bob protested, and Nick used this moment to brush his lips over the goalie’s. He felt the small gasp of surprise before Bob leaned into it. Nick smiled as he felt Bob tug at his lower lip slightly with his teeth, almost hesitantly, and he nodded. He heard the team hooting behind them and laughed against Bob. 

“Just starting up a new tradition!” he yelled as he pulled back, very much in love with the way Bob looked right now. His lips had a small glisten to them and his cheeks were slowly getting red. “Right, Bob?”

“New tradition,” he said before he tugged Nick back to him and if Nick leaned into the kiss, then what of it? The way Bob moved into it, and into him, left him slightly breathless. Nick knew this would never have happened if they hadn’t had something to drink, but he found himself secretly hoping this would actually become a new tradition. A private tradition. Hugs with Bob were great, but the way his lips felt against Nick’s was better. 

Maybe this season would be a good one, after all.


End file.
